


Happier With You

by TheFireInHerEyes



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gen, James Potter Lives, James Potter is a Good Friend, Romance, Sirius Black & James Potter Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:34:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22617211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFireInHerEyes/pseuds/TheFireInHerEyes
Summary: Having sepressants on hand always make things better.The odds are stacked against you when it comes to the other bets and alphas in the school, but...sepressant's make it worth it.The sepressant's made by muggles, are worth it.They keep you safe, they keep you out of sight, they keep you unmated. As long as you use them, you're safe.But when you run out during the beginning of 6th year, and your parents can't get you some until after Christmas, your luck has run out.Not only has your lack of sepressant's made other alpha's hyper-aware of your presence, but one in particular that drives you insane, has taken notice.James Fleamont Potter has been oblivious to your presence for 5 years, because you like to fade into the background. But when he is hit by your scent in the great hall, he becomes irrevocably weak.He's unable to resist the scent that speaks so deeply to his soul.He needs it, he craves it.
Relationships: James Potter/Original Female Character(s), James Potter/Reader, Sirius Black/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 273





	1. Chapter 1

The small amount of steam that had billowed from the engine of the Hogwarts Express was as welcoming as the chatter of the first years students dragging their parents behind them as they careened toward the train.

The brick stonework that made up the magnificent arches of King’s Cross Station were, whimsically almost, decorated with a banner of each of the Hogwarts houses, the respective animal dancing around the material.

“6th year,” your mum, voice shaking and emotionally driven, spoke behind you, “our baby girl is growing up.”

You rolled your eyes while your back was to your mum, adjusting the black strap of your bag as it rest against your hip. Every year, from the start of year one when your mum was dropping you off at the station, she would become a ball of unfettered emotions.

Your dad on the other hand would console your mum, whisper gently in her ear like any good alpha would do for their omega.

It was sweet, it was what you aspired to be with your own alpha. You wanted a relationship as sweet as your parents, as endearing and as cute.

What you got instead of sweet, was the aggravating, grating, irritating, never-ending-jokes, James Potter.

James. Potter. Was. Your. Alpha.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I. should reiterate that this is not a James/Lily story

The golden strands of grass that blew from the soft breeze looked like gold. Gold spun by the earth swaying side to side under the radiating warmth from an autumn summer.

Beyond the small meadow was a towering oak tree with heavy leaf laden branches providing shade from the warmth, a cool spot to nestle and laze about on such a perfect day.

Underneath the lowest hanging oak branch was a stag, it's head down as it used one of its horns to scratch its back leg. The stag was relaxed, calm and content as it blazed about in the shade. There was no care the stag felt.

As the wind blew the leaves back and forth on the branches, the stag stopped its action and lift its head. It was focused on what was across the way, blinking its eyes with an almost human comprehension.

The hazel colour allotted to the stag was not as typical colour someone would see in such an animal, and there was a way about it that seemed…unnatural.

Tilting your head slightly to the right, you took one step and then another. With every step you took, the Stag sat calm, focused on the swaying golden grass and you.

Another step forward and then another.

Finally, the Stag moved. It stood from where it was laying and moved from the shade so slowly you thought that maybe it was you that was moving.

As it dipped its head to avoid the branches, a few leaves had caught themselves on his horns. The green foliage rest on the space between his horns, sitting almost like it was purposely placed against its fur.

Time was passing slowly as it crossed the distance, his hazel eyes warm and inviting compared to those of another wild Stag. There was something about these eyes, something deep within your soul that was drawn toward the Stag.

When it had gotten close enough that you could almost touch it, you found yourself extending your hand. It came closer, no panic, no fear.

Another moment had passed and then you felt it's soft snout, its warm breath caressing your skin as it pushed its snout into your hand, almost as if to beg for a touch.

“You're late.” Your eyes fluttered open and closed again. “Time to get up.”

The golden swaying grass was gone. The Stag was gone.

“I'm being serious, Y/N.” the covers were yanked from your bed without a single touch of your mothers’ hand, the blankets folded and stacked on the table beside your bed.

“Up. We won't have another incident of you catching the train by the skin of your teeth.” Your mum's voice had cut through your attempt to go back to the dream you'd been having for weeks.

“I made it.” You mumbled into your fluffy white pillow, your whole-body aching with exhaustion that could, would only be brought on by an impending heat.

“Up!” your mum swat your backside as she carefully lifts your wolf’s cage from your desk, cooing at the pale owl inside.

“And take your suppressant’s please!” She hollered at you from out of your room, the rattle of your owl's cage softening as she descended the stairs.

“Yes mum.” You groaned and sat up with a deep frown etched on your face. “Of course, mum.”

You raised your arms above your head and leaned backward until you heard satisfying pops and cracks, the achy muscles from a sleep that wasn't quite satisfying enough, relieved.

As you lowered your arms, your eyes fell to a moving picture in a solid black frame, the brooms with riders whipping past one of the three goals in the quidditch pitch at Hogwarts.

Sitting on the closest broom was your closest friend and confidante, a lovely girl from Hufflepuff, and on the furthest broom was the boy you would rather not know the name of.

“Y/N L/N if you’re not downstairs in 5 minutes, I’ll send the house elf up with a bucket of water from Antarctica!” Mum called from downstairs with a hasty undertone, her patience wearing thin.

“I. Am. Coming!” You opened the door to shout your arrival, before slamming it again for privacy to dress.

“Patience woman.”

♤♡♤♡

James loosened the tie around his neck as he scoped the crowds for the last remaining Marauder that, as usual, was running late. As his eyes wandered the crowds, a wide grin was etched onto his face when he saw a beautiful redhead with gorgeous green eyes approaching the station.

“Lilypad!” James drug his trunk behind him while weaving through the crowd of parents and students. “My darling lilypad.”

Upon approaching the irritated Evans, James dropped his trunk and slung his arm around her shoulders. With his other hand, he brushed his wild and untameable hair out of his face, tossing a wink toward Marlene McKinnon.

“McKinnon, McKinnon. Second fastest quidditch player in our year. How's it feel being second best to the greatest Alpha in Gryffindor?” James’ pride had surged for a moment before the two omegas had dug their teeth and claws into it.

“How can you even move with your inflated ego? I thought it'd weigh you down?” Marlene rolled her eyes.

“Get your stench off of me, Potter.” Lily shoved his arm off her shoulders and had moved away, her nose scrunched. “I don't want to smell like you.”

James ignored the comment in favour of catching Sirius and Remus' attention as they finally managed to find James after he had left them.

“New year, new omegas.” Sirius winked at Marlene, even though he knew she would kick his ass from here to Hogwarts.

“I feel sorry for the poor omegas who give you their time.” The pretty blonde had snapped back with the kind of ferocity that reminded James of a lioness.

Fitting for a Gryffindor.

“You only wish you were one of them.” Sirius sent her a wink followed by blowing her a kiss, the action not well received from both Marlene or Lily.

The later had shot Sirius a deadly look, warning him to back off. “Get over yourself, Black.”

As Marlene and Lily walked away, boarded the train, James chuckled under his breath. “I’m gonna marry her one day. Mark my words.”


	3. Chapter 2

One of the greatest things about going back to Hogwarts, or one of the things you enjoyed most, was the Hogwarts express.

When you were settled into a compartment with your best friends riding the rails toward your second home, you felt relieved.

As an omega, you felt relieved to be surrounded by so many overlapping scents that would help hide your own from prying and otherwise cocky alpha’s. Not only would your scent be disguised, but it would help you relax knowing that there were other omega’s close by, likely going through the same thing.

Some found their alpha’s early.

Like Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy. The pair of pureblood’s had discovered each other early, and as such, had been in a relationship for two years.

Much to their parent’s joy.

“Don’t you feel a little envious?” Your oldest friend since the beginning of Hogwarts, Hannah, had sat across from you, staring out the compartment doors as the two pureblood walked by.

“Of Narcissa and Lucius?” Lijuan, your friend from Ravenclaw with silky black hair and warm brown eyes spoke softly.

“They’re pretty horrible people.” You shifted in your seat, resting your elbow against the frame of the window. “Narcissistic. Egotistical.”

Hannah rolled her green eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “Well obviously they’re shitty people, but aren’t you envious that they found each other?”

The connection between the two of them would’ve been strong, to say the least. If they had accepted each other as their alpha/omega, then their bond would’ve only increased in the two years they’d been together.

Were you envious of that?

You didn’t want to say yes. You didn’t want to admit that a pang of jealousy ripped through you. To have met, and know, that you found your match so young would’ve been wondrous.

Not only would you have someone who cared more for you than anyone else, but to have the emotional and physical support an alpha provides? To have the gentle touch that only an alpha could give their omega?

“No,” you lied through your teeth, “I’m not. Who wants to have met their other half so young?”

The dreamy look that crossed Hannah and Lijuan’s faces had once matched your own. You dreamed of a prince in shining armour coming to sweep you off your feet.

That’s what all the muggle fairytales were about handsome princes with noble steeds coming to steal their princess away from danger, whisk her away to a castle where they would live happily ever after.

Going to school at Hogwarts crossed the castle off the list.

“Marauders.” Hannah sat up with a cheeky grin on her face. “Which one of those boys would you prefer to have as an alpha?”

You nearly groaned into your palm.

Hannah was obsessed with Sirius Black, along with half the girls in school. Her obsession with his ‘perfect hair’ and his ‘charming smile’ and his ‘bad boy attitude’ was lost on you.

What was so enticing about a boy with a dating history as long as the great hall? What was so charming about a boy who’s dating history could be labeled ‘favour of the week’.

“I know I would choose-“ You and Lijuan cut Hannah off simultaneously.

“Sirius.” “Sirius.”

The compartment erupted in soft laughter and giggles between the three of you, no contempt meant and no denial from Hannah.

After the laughter had died down, their attention fell on you. Hannah’s green eyes and Lijuan’s warm brown eyes were focused solely on you. You knew that they would ask you, and you knew the topic of your suppressants’ would follow.

“Then what about you?” Hannah tilt her head, her strawberry blonde hair piled on top of her head in a high pony tied with a blue ribbon.

“We know you don’t like Sirius.” Lijuan shift so she was facing you, her hands folded in her lap. “But what about Remus? James?”

“Peter?” Hannah spoke with discontent for the mousy boy.

“No.” You didn’t hate the boy who followed Potter, Lupin and Black around like he was apart of their backsides, but he was just…creepy. “But if I have to choose…”

There was something about him that you really, truly didn’t like. Whether it was his beady eyes or his penchant for being in the background silently watching everyone and everything, you found him incredibly creepy.

“Not Potter because he’s hopelessly and obsessively in love with Evans, and he’s annoying. Not Black…which leaves Lupin. I would choose Lupin.”

A moment passed with them continuously staring at you, waiting for an explanation.

“Lupin would be a good alpha.” You chewed your bottom lip. “Unlike Potter or Black, he’s not overconfident you know? He’s kind and smart and he just seems like he would take really good care of an omega.”

Your explanation had satisfied them for now, the little game you were playing was just that. But it did ring some truth underneath the surface.

Remus Lupin really would be a good alpha. The way he carried himself, the way he cared about others and himself, the almost gentleness in his voice. He was a soft alpha that any omega would hope to be with.

And at one point while attending Hogwarts, you had a crush on the sandy haired Gryffindor boy. It was hard not to develop a crush on the much quieter Marauder. He seemed so out of place with the other two knuckleheads, and Peter…well Remus seemed a league above them all.

“Sounds like someone’s got a thing for a marauder.” Hannah beamed and giggled behind her hand, sharing the teasing with Lijuan.

They could giggle and cackle and poke fun of the crush that hadn’t quite gone away, hadn’t quite left your system. But it wouldn’t actually change anything.

You wouldn’t approach Remus, he wouldn’t approach you because he barely knew you existed. As a quiet and introverted Hufflepuff, you liked staying behind the scenes, liked laying low.

He was a brave and courageous Gryffindor who was best friends with the most popular idiots in the school. He was like a celebrity compared to you.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not looking for an alpha anyway.” You frowned and added quickly, “I have enough suppressants to last me through to Christmas. They’re muggle made and they’re even better than the stuff we get in Diagon alley.”

The looks you got from both Hannah and Lijuan were cautious, their lack of understanding when it came to your use of muggle suppressant’s was hardly hidden. It was clear that they didn’t choose to use them, or if they had, they used potions instead of pills like you had.

“They’re muggle made?” While Lijuan questioned you, you had shifted positions again to grab the suppressants tucked away in your trunk.

As you kneeled on the bench seat and dug in your trunk, you felt puzzled. Your suppressants which should’ve been in a specially sealed case charmed only to open for you, was missing.

Your puzzlement turned to panic. If you didn’t have your suppressants, then you wouldn’t be able to hide your scent as well. And if you couldn’t hide your scent as well as you’d liked, then the first heat of the year would be torturous.

Your scent would stronger, your heat would be more intense making you dip further into the heat driven madness that drove you to be marked; mated.

“No.” You ripped your trunk from the overhead shelf, tearing everything out and tossing it onto the floor. “No, no, no, no!”

Each item that went flying was a further push into panic and desperation. No suppressants. No charmed case.

“Merlin, no!” when you finally sat back on your heels, you felt your plan for the first half of the year go up in smoke.

“You forgot em?” Hannah was the first to speak.

“I take them once a week. Today should’ve been the first time in a week that I’ve taken them. But I forgot them and since I forgot them…” You rubbed your hand down your face.

“Y/N how bad can it be? Can’t your parents send you more?” You wished you had Lijuan’s positivity.

“I get them from a muggle doctor. In order for me to get more, I need to physically go see the doctor. I won’t be able to get more until Christmas.” This couldn’t be happening. Not now.

“Can’t you make yourself a potion?” Merlin how you wished you could.

Instead of answering verbally, you chose to shake your head. This was the worst possible scenario. “Each day without my suppressants will make my scent stronger. And without suppressants to lower the effect of my heat…”

You groaned into your palms.

“You might not make it until Christmas…” Hannah finished quietly.

The reality was that without your suppressants and the effects of your heat not reduced by the medication, you may end up being in a mated relationship by the time Christmas break comes around.


	4. Chapter 3

James Potter was king. James Potter was a king in Gryffindor and a king in the school. Not only was he captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but he was part of the Marauders.

Other wizards in Hogwarts wanted to be him, and witches wanted to be with him. He was an alpha among alphas. He was one of the greatest alphas to walk through the doors of Hogwarts.

Or, at least, in his head he was.

If you asked Lily Evans what she thought of James Fleamont Potter, she would describe him as an egotistical git who thought he was the very reason why the sun shone every morning.

If you asked Lily Evans, she would give you an earful about the prick with black, unruly hair and glasses.

Lily Evans was a particularly strong omega, stubborn and justifiable in her anger. She was an omega you would not want to cross, the kind of omega that most alpha's would almost be intimidated by.

James Fleamont Potter swore up and down that he was in love with the redheaded, green eyes beauty. He would sing to the heavens about his love for his ‘Lily-pad' to anyone that would hear it. He was an alpha driven by desire for a headstrong omega who hated his guts.

And still he pursued her.

It couldn't, wouldn't be called simple delusion that filled his head, but it was the hope that perhaps Lily would see past the outer shell of James and get to see who he really was.

A brave Gryffindor boy who wanted the pretty girl to like him.

“I think you need to cut your losses prongs,” Sirius cracked a grin as he shoved his best mates shoulder, “Lily isn't falling for your charms.”

The black, curly headed boy with the grey eyes that made nearly any girl weak, sat beside James with a loosened tie. Sirius glanced around the table with a half smirk on his face, finding the omega in question sitting with Marlene and Alice.

“I haven't tried hard enough.” James rebutted while biting off one half of the sausage on his fork, the grease from the sausage spraying on the plate. “I have a plan.”

Remus rolled his eyes from his seat across from Sirius, his sandy blonde hair falling into his eyes as he poured over a charms book. He didn't usually get in the middle of Sirius and James' talks about Lily and the eventual process of mateship, but he did physically react.

“Something to add, moony?” James tilt his head to the right, watching his wolfy friend raise his head, his gray-green eyes narrowed slightly.

“Maybe it's time to let Lily be.” Remus spoke earnestly. If he could get through to James, it would be better for everyone. “Focus on something else.”

James scoffed and reached out with his left hand, grabbing the pumpkin juice from in front of him. He raised the glass to his lips and downed the sweet juice in one gulp before slamming it on the table.

“I haven't focused enough, moony. Evans is perfect. Evans is gorgeous and brilliant. And those eyes…” James sighed like a schoolgirl as he leaned on his hand and wove his fingers in his hair.

He could’ve sat there and admired his lily-pad all day. She was the type of girl that deserved to be admired and praised and showered with every affection he could muster.

“Trust me, prongs.” Remus closed his book and set it aside. “I think it's time to move on.”

“There are plenty of omega’s in the school, prongs.” Sirius nudged him again, drawing his attention to a few omega's sitting at the Hufflepuff table.

As Sirius smirked and winked at the girls he was staring at, a pretty blonde voiced her excitement by shrieking loud enough to shatter glass, while her friends rolled their eyes.

Sirius sat back and soaked it all in, enjoying the way he could charm nearly any girl with a simple smirk and a wink. It was his charismatic nature, the way he carried himself with such confidence. It was the bad boy, playboy reputation he had built for himself. Or maybe it was girls thinking they could change him; thinking they could be the ones to make Sirius faithful.

James ultimately shrugged off Remus' advice in favour for shovelling more sausages into his mouth. As the third was shoved into his waiting mouth, a scent he had never picked up on before slammed into him.

It was sweet and soft, the scent of a goddess that was made to tempt him. It overwhelmed him, it enveloped him.

The fork in his hand fell to the plate clattering, the noise starling Sirius and gaining Remus' attention. James ignored his best mates in favour of focusing and finding the scent that was speaking to him.

James grit his teeth and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. The scent was soft and sweet, belonging to an omega, the natural undertones causing James to nearly leap from the table.

The urgency to find the scent was intense enough to nearly make James feel. The scent was calling to him, the omega was calling to him. The scent of the pheromones that were slamming into him were driving him crazy.

The need. The want. The omega.

“James?” Remus approached from the left; his hand outstretched to help him.

“Merlin, stop!” James slammed his fist into the table, his breathing uneven as he felt the rising possessive nature so common with alpha's who had come across their omega, was fighting for control.

The instinctual need to have his omega, to protect and possess. The instinctual and archaic need, primal and primitive.

“James?” Sirius called his name, placed his hand on James' shoulder, trying to pull him back from the fine line he was walking. “Come on mate, let’s go see Madame Pomfrey.”

He didn't fight Sirius and Remus as they dragged him out. He didn't fight them as they pulled him out of the great hall and away from the scent calling to him.

He didn't fight.

But he did promise himself that the scent that was easily engrained in him, would not be forgotten.

And he would find his omega.


	5. Chapter 4

The moment you opened your eyes, you had a splitting headache. The sharp, shooting pain that started at your temples had soon encompassed your whole head, making the slightest touch make you feel like your head was about to explode.

When it came time for you to get up and start getting ready for breakfast and for classes, you had to forcibly drag yourself out of bed, out of your comfortable and warm space. As your feet touched the wood floor, you shuddered and gripped the bedpost with white knuckles.

“Are you okay, Y/N?” One of your dorm mates touched your shoulder, helping steady you.

“I have a splitting headache. I feel like my head is going to explode.” You hissed under your breath, shutting your eyes tight as you were hit with a wave of nausea.

“I have a painkilling potion. I keep it in my drawer.” Another of your dorm mates had opened the drawer in her night stand, grabbing the dark stained bottle from inside.

“Thanks.” You grit your teeth and downed the bottle when it was handed to you, the bitter potion not going down as quick as you would’ve liked.

As the potion settled in your stomach, you slowly inched toward your trunk. You bent down and grabbed your uniform from the worn leather trunk, piling the yellow and black tie, the black skirt and white dress shirt into your arms.

When you stood back up again, you felt relief as the splitting, irritating headache was lessened. The potion had worked well enough for you, though you had hoped it would completely take the migraine away.

“I'll be quick changing.” You called out over your shoulder.

Upon entering the small bathroom, you closed the door behind you, flicking the lock. You set your uniform down on the small vanity beneath the round, silver trimmed mirror, careful not to let any part of it touch the sink.

You stood in front of the sink and looked yourself in the mirror. The bags under your eyes were dark and puffy, making it appear as if it had been days since you had a good night’s sleep, and aside from the baggy and puffy eyes, you felt like it.

You felt like the anxiety you had since forgetting your suppressants, the anxiety you had over knowing that you wouldn't be able to get them until after Christmas had made you restless.

Being in Hogwarts as an unmarked omega was one thing, but having no suppressants to help alleviate the symptoms of your heat was another.

After using suppressants for so long and being so cautious about taking them at the same time each week, being without them would almost send your body into chaos.

Without having the suppressants to keep your scent under control, kept back and contained so you could fade into the background, the reaction would be a completely 180.

Instead of containing your scent and minimalizing it, the lack of suppressants would make it stronger. The lack of suppressants would bring your heat on faster and in a more intense way.

You would be helpless to stop the heat from taking control. You would be helpless to stop the nature of your gene's and your DNA from seeking out your alpha.

It would only be a matter of time before you feel victim to your base instincts.

“It'll be okay.” You whispered under your breath as you splashed water on your face, rubbing your hands over your face. “It will be okay.”

You stepped back from the mirror and stripped your pajama’s off of your body, kicking them to the side. You grabbed your uniform from the vanity and started pulling the pieces on one by one.

Once you were done getting dressed, you wrapped the tie around the collar of the dress shirt, and tightened the knot until it was nearly covering the top button. Before you left the bathroom, you had quickly brushed your tangled hair and threw it up in a highly pony.

You slipped out of the bathroom as one of your dorm mates stepped in. You stopped in front of your bed and grabbed your bag from the foot and draped the strap over your shoulder.

“I'll see you all down there.” You called out to the other girls as you slipped your wand into your bag, and left the room.

The door clicked behind you softly, muffled by the noise riding from the common room from the other Hufflepuff students as they enjoyed their time before it was breakfast, and ultimately class.

You kept your head down as you crossed the common room for the exit, ignoring most people you passed in favour of getting to the great hall with hopes that you could still subdue the intensity of your scent by mixing with the other alpha's and Beta’s.

It was a weak attempt, and it would likely only work to an extent, but you didn't know what else you would do. It would be worth a shot worth a chance.

“Good morning!” Hannah was the first to greet you before you even had a chance to step into the great hall.

The pretty, bubbly blonde grabbed your wrist and pulled you off to the side of the doors, angling herself to hide you from view. You wanted to question what she was doing, but she hardly gave you a chance.

She worked quickly to wrap a silk ribbon around your wrist. She tied it tight enough that it wouldn't fall off, but not tight enough to cut off your circulation. Once she was done, she took a step back and looked you over with a half-smile.

“What's the ribbon for?” You picked at the pale pink ribbon; eyebrows furrowed.

“No offence Y/N but your scent is…is overpowering.” Hannah scrunched up her nose. “The ribbon should help. I’ve had it in my trunk for the past week and a half.”

You dropped the piece of ribbon you'd been holding. You crossed your arms over your chest and huffed. “I can't believe I forgot my suppressants.”

You stepped around Hannah and began walking with her into the great hall. The intermixing and merging scents from the various alpha's, beta's and omegas usually didn't bother you as it was something you were used to.

But today it irritated you, today the mixing and merging of scents was grating. You wanted to hyper fixate on a specific scent, you felt the urgency to wade through the various scents and find one that spoke directly to you.

“It happens. Though it may mean you'll be in a relationship sooner than you wanted.” Hannah bumped her elbow against yours, offering you a warm and kind smile.

“I wonder if it’ll be Remus.” She wiggled her eyebrows as you made your way to your table. “You always said he would make a good alpha.”

You huffed again and grumbled as you sat down on the wooden bench at the Hufflepuff table, chin resting in your right hand. Your eyes wandered down the Hufflepuff table, and then you glanced over your shoulder looking at the Gryffindor table.

From where you were sitting, you could see the Marauders and their gaggle of loyal supporters and followers, hanging onto every word that was spoken. Remus sat opposite of Sirius and Peter sat opposite of James, but the 4 of them were equally invested in the conversation.

Potter had his chin resting in his hand, almost in the same you had, his gaze focused on Evans sitting halfway down the table. His shirt was unbuttoned and his tie hat loose around his neck, his black hair unruly and messy, round framed glasses slipping down his nose.

“I suppose.” You mumbled and turned back, reaching for a cup of tea. “his friends would be an issue.”

You reached out and brushed your fingertips against a teacup sitting opposite of you. When the pads of your fingers brushed against the ceramic handle, you felt like you had been frozen.

Somewhere from the surrounding tables, the scent of an alpha had made its way to you. The strong pheromones of whatever alpha was hitting you square on, making you tremble and shake.

“Y/N?” Hannah spoke your name but her voice became muffled as everything else faded to the background.

The only thing that mattered was the scent of the alpha, the scent of sandalwood and teakwood. The scent that was slightly spicy to the nose but so invigorating, so intoxicating.

“Alpha…” You were breathless, gripping the table with white knuckles as you breathed in deeper. “Merlin…”

It was inevitable. You couldn't avoid it now.

An alpha's scent had called to you, spoke to you.

It was all too late for suppressants.


	6. Chapter 5

Elevated heartrate. Increased rate of breathing. Palms sweating. Head pounding. Walls closing in.

The symptoms of a panic attack were swift, heavy as they set into your bones. The urgency behind the anxiety that was hitting you like a hippogriff was caused by one scent, one particular scent of an alpha that was so heady, it nearly sent you into a sudden heat.

Your heartrate was elevating with each short and desperate breath. You could feel beads of sweat rolling down the back of your neck as if you were standing flush to a roaring fire. The flames licking and kissing your skin, close enough to completely engulf you in the roaring heat

Your head was throbbing rhythmically to a steady beat of an invisible war drum. Throb after throb, beat after beat, you felt the agitating thud.

“I need to see Madame Pomfrey.” You hissed as your stumbled back against the door.

Your clamped your eyes shut, fingers gripping and pulling on your strands of hair next to your left temple. The reaction was too much to handle, you were being physically tortured by the basic genes demanding that you find the scent and envelop yourself in it.

“Are you okay?” Hannah stood by your aide, wiping an engraved handkerchief her grandmother gave her across your forehead.

“I can’t-“ you hissed and recoiled.

“L/N? What is going on out here?” The feminine voice made you lift your head, your eyes meeting Evans bright green’s as she looked at you with increased curiosity.

“Your heat cycle is being triggered? By who?” She reached out her hand to touch your own, but the contact was never made.

She recoiled before her flesh touched yours, and then she stood up straighter. The prefect emblem stitched onto her robe was your focus now, watching the emblem shift and change to also flash her name.

“Take L/N to Madame Pomfrey. I’ll let Slughorn know that you’ll be missing potions.” The beautiful redhead that James Potter was obsessed with had flashed you a genuine, kind smile before she briefly squeezed your shoulder.

After her departure from the two of you again, the quick interaction making you almost feel worse, you felt as though you would truly collapse. You had never had reactions like this before, never had anywhere close to this amount of painful symptoms wracking havoc on your body.

Hannah’s voice was muffled and garbled, the reply she made toward Evans was lost on you. Even as she started helping you limp and shuffle toward the healing wing of Hogwarts, your body felt like it was in status.

You could hardly hear anything, anytime you tried to speak, no verbal sounds would or could be heard. Every step you took mirrored the pain in your head, the rapid beating of your heart.

“We’re…hold…there.” You looked at Hannah through the veil of your hair falling in your face, picking up pieces of what she was saying while missing the middle.

Her light eyes were focused straight ahead, her arm wrapped around your neck was slipping as she tried to readjust your body. You knew you were practically dead weight at this point, and Hannah, who was a slip of a thing, was struggling to keep you upright.

“Madame Pomfrey!” Hannah called out to the gracious and caring witch as she pulled you along beside her.

The doors were opened and the two of you entered the hospital wing, the pain coursing through your body, sending a stabbing pain straight to your stomach.

“Bloody hell!” you groaned and doubled over in pain as you inhaled sharply. You wrapped your arms around yourself and screwed your eyes shut tight.

The scent of Hannah was all over you, but that wasn’t what you were focusing on. The scent of the alpha who had set you off, the scent of the alpha who cursed you with an early and horrifically painful onset heat, was in the room.

“Madame Pomfrey-” the rich mahogany and teakwood scent of the alpha who was the root of your problem was wrapping around you like a thick, warm blanket.

It was comforting and stifling. And if you were in your right mind, you would’ve tucked tail and run. But you could barely move let alone function beyond your instincts that were rampant.

“Miss Scott!” Madame Pomfrey had swiftly left a curtained bed with speed to her step. “Get miss L/N on a bed.”

The surging heat that was becoming unbearable was relentless. The moment you were set upon the bed, your hands dug into the thick cotton sheets as the burning pain of an overdriven heat cycle were quickly becoming unmanageable.

“She ran out of suppressants and then this morning as we were sitting at breakfast it hit her. I’ve never seen this kind of pain.” Hannah took a step back and sat in the chair beside the bed as Madame Pomfrey moved in.

“Miss L/N, overuse of muggle suppressants can make the first heat without them almost unbearable.” She tutted as she waved her wand, a damp clothing coming to lay against your forehead.

“She’s in heat?” Hannah spoke from your right, confusion and shock written all over her face.

“It-“ you grit your teeth and curled in on yourself. “-hurts!”

Madame Pomfrey was quick and swift as she concoct a potion beside your bed, the mixing of different ingredients creating a strong, bitter scent that burned your nose.

“I wonder who it is!?” Hannah squealed in momentary joy for you, joy for the sudden revelation that you had, at some point, found your alpha.

“I don’t-” a responding crash had echoed in the wing, the bedside table that was sitting by the curtained bed now lay in pieces at the foot.

“Merlin, stop!” Madame Pomfrey’s assistant healer was struggling to hold down the struggling alpha, the brute strength from the one alpha had nearly knocked the assistant flat on his back.

“James!”

“POTTER!”

The name shouted was like a lightning bolt straight through to what little hold you had on yourself. It cracked through to the conscious part of you that wasn’t shrouded by the heat, and it sent a shiver down your spine.

“Merlin no…” You mumbled under your breath, eyes becoming as wide as saucers as your last choice for an alpha had pushed the assistant off of him, as well as his fellow Marauders.

You watched with slack jaw as the black haired, boy who was single handedly the best Quidditch player Gryffindor had seen so far, was staring at you with blown pupils and flaring nostrils. The ‘leader’ of the Marauders and self proclaimed ‘King’ of Gryffindor was standing in the walk way between the two sides of the wing, hands balled into fists.

“Merlin no…” You mumbled again, hopeful that it was a mistake.

“Omega.” He smirked and took a single step before his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he collapsed to the stone floor below him.

—


End file.
